When The Stars Align

chapter thirty four | take two

"ARE YOU SURE THAT your gun is loaded?" I asked my brother for the fifth time. He drives slowly into Fox Grove. At this point, I don't care if Ansen knows that we're here. He knows why. I know taking Leo was part of his trap to get me back here. So be it.

But I didn't want Lysander here. I didn't want him to risk his life. He was different - he can die. I can't lose him yet, not after I got him back after so long. I begged him to just drop me off at the edge of the ghost town. But he didn't listen.

I can't lose him. I can't lose him.

"I'm sure, Vera. It's always loaded." That's a kind of terrifying thought, knowing my brother carried a loaded gun around. But it was because of his job. "You can check if you want." He pulls the weapon out from his side compartment.

We were in the forest, and now that I think of it, it wasn't as thin as I thought it was. Maybe I just took the least dense route, and didn't bother to pay attention to the rest of my surroundings. The road is rocky, bumpy, and I had a few jump scares on our trip.

Like my brother insisted, the gun was loaded. I knew I was paranoid. I needed to get over with this. Find Leo, then run back to the car and get home. That was the plan. I knew that Leo was here, he had to be here. Leo is bait, I'm the real catch. He wouldn't go anywhere I didn't know of.

Right?

And then I see the clearing of the abandoned town, with no one to be seen as of now. "Stop here," I told my brother, and before he put the car in park, I got out. I heard Lysander kill the engine, stepping out.

I looked around the area. I knew there was something here, I'm sure I put something here. I turned over one of the stones. Bingo. I grabbed the silver throwing knives and began to hide them on my body. There was also some spare ammunition, which I tossed to Lysander.

"You just hide weapons in the forest?" My brother asked, pocketing the bullets. He pays more attention to the knives. "Funny how you were known for your knife skills, but this is the first time I'm seeing you use it."

I bit my lip, walking towards the town. Lysander stayed close behind. "I don't like using them." He was right though - I was known for my knife skills. Most people I killed were stabbed, with a blade going straight through their chest. I never ended up taking the knife back, it ended up kind of being my mark.

It's still daylight. I already know this is a mistake on my part. I should've waited until night fell to even suggest we head towards Fox. But the faster I got my nephew back, the less time it is that my sister's at home, worrying about her child. I still couldn't get her sobs out of my memory.

"We go in, we get Leo, we get out, okay?" I repeat to my brother. I lower my voice as we head towards the town. Someone was going to be here. Someone is waiting for me.

"I heard you the first four times, Vera," Lysander said, his voice as low. "I don't want to be here as much as you want to."

"Then why are you here?" I asked. "I told you I could handle it. I told you I could do it on my own."

"You're my sister," he argued. "I'm not letting you face that son of a bitch alone."

It was most definitely the wrong time, but I snickered. "You just called Queen Regan a bitch." Lysander shot me a glare. Right, we have something to do. Suddenly I'm the one taking this seriously.

We stepped into the town, eyes open for anything... off. I knew where I was heading - there was only one appropriate place to hold someone hostage, and Atticus and I visited hat place only a couple days ago. I just didn't want to run into anyone and cause too much trouble.